A search warrant served around 8:45 a.m. Wednesday at a Washington Road home in Keyes uncovered close to 1,000 marijuana plants, processed marijuana, a loaded shotgun and an illegal electricity hookup. During the operation, a dog attacked a Stanislaus County sheriff's K-9 and a deputy shot and wounded the dog, sheriff's officials said, according to CBS Sacramento. Two men were arrested.
The sheriff's account, as reported by CBS News, traces the investigation to an earlier traffic stop. Deputies said they smelled marijuana and saw plants growing behind a fence; those observations led to the search warrant for the Washington Road property.
When deputies arrived to execute the warrant, one man reportedly refused repeated commands to come outside, per the sheriff's office. Deputies then entered the home and found a man with a large dog inside, the outlet reported.
Dog Attacks K-9, Deputy Fires
Sheriff's officials said the dog attacked the department's K-9 and a deputy shot and injured the dog, as reported by CBS Sacramento. Officials said it was unknown whether the K-9 was hurt and had not provided an update on the condition of the dog that was shot.
The reports cited here do not describe the precise sequence immediately before the deputy fired.
Grow Operation and Weapon Uncovered
According to the sheriff's account relayed to CBS News, deputies found roughly 1,000 marijuana plants and processed marijuana inside the home. They also found a loaded shotgun in a bedroom closet.
Investigators also found an unauthorized diversion of electricity from the Turlock Irrigation District, according to CBS Sacramento.
Two Men Arrested on Separate Allegations
Sheriff's officials said Everarfo Chavez, 61, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana cultivation. Robert Perez, 48, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting an executive officer, CBS Sacramento reported.
A use-of-force briefing prepared by Senior Deputy District Attorney Jon Brandon and Chief Deputy District Attorney Carlos Monagas describes an objective-reasonableness standard that considers the totality of the circumstances and says deadly force is permitted only when necessary to defend human life. The briefing does not make a case-specific determination about the deputy's decision to shoot the dog in Keyes.
What Statewide Cannabis Data Show
The California Department of Cannabis Control says its Enforcement Division led or assisted in 481 search warrants in fiscal year 2023–24, resulting in the seizure of 379,937 pounds of untested cannabis product and the eradication of 570,063 plants. These statewide enforcement figures do not quantify electricity-theft cases, according to the department's annual report. A separate Department of Cannabis Control report says California's illicit cannabis market does not appear to be growing, estimating that illicit cultivation and production are relatively stable compared with levels before adult-use legalization.
The deputy's identity, body-camera footage and further details about the sequence leading to the shooting have not been released. It is also unclear whether additional criminal charges will follow.
